The Worst Tennis Player That Ever Lived

I mean, really, people.

So Rafa goes 0-3 at the WTF, losing to Sod, Kolya, and Nole.  Of course all the piling on has already begun.  I won't bother rehashing all the speculation surrounding Rafa.  I understand the fun in playing the speculation game.  Hell, I do it all the time.  But there comes a point when you're not speculating or predicting based on fact, but just throwing out outlandish theories in an attempt to be "the first mover".  You want to be the guy that comes up with some theory that eventually proves true so that you get to be the guy who says, in a year, "HAH!  See?  I was right!  I KNOW TENNIS!!!  KING OF THE LAB!!!"

It's also easy to heap criticism when you're not a fan.  If you're an anti-Rafa KAD, then sure, this is a pretty glorious time for you.  You get to heap all the revenge on him for all the Chicken Little heaping that Fed endured last season.  I was looking through my high school yearbook a few weeks ago and had to laugh at one of my senior quotes: "When your opponent is drowning, throw the asshole an anvil."  All that is to say, I get it.  Hell, I did to Fed last year. 

So this note goes out to the Rafa fans, of which I count myself one of, though I don't think I'm as "big" of a fan as a lot of people.  You guys need to CALM DOWN.  I have no doubt that many Rafa Fans have engaged in their own amount of critique, speculation, doom and gloom, not because they don't like Rafa, but because of self-preservation.  You lower expectations in order to protect yourself from what may (or may not) happen.  All fandoms do this.  I'm an AnaKAD.  You think I haven't engaged in self-preservational behavior for the past year?  If I didn't I'd probably be in a K-hole right now (probably crying on Curtis' shoulder). 

What has happened to Rafa isn't unprecedented.  He always falls off the ledge at the end of the season.  Let's not forget, last season he was so hurt he couldn't play the Davis Cup final in Argentina.  This season has been even more troublesome because of serious injuries that prevented him from defending his Wimbledon title.  But he always bounces back.  Last fall there were just as many articles about Rafa's broken down body and the impact of his style of play over the long haul.  What happened?

This.  This happened. 

He came to Australia with new aggressive hard court game that saw him fight through Fer and Fed in two epic matches.  And let's not forget about Fed.  Think about his year from May 08 to May 09.  But he healed up, sorted out his head and his personal life, and now he's King of the World.   History is on Rafa's side.  He's is an amazingly talented player who is only 23.  23!!!  

Things change in this sport.  And great champions.  Find a way.  Just ask this guy:

So cut the guy some slack, media, enemies, and fans.  No more doom and gloom.  Just close the book on this year (a year that he dominated for 5 months) and look forward to next year.  Cuz it's gonna be FUN.